Eight television shows that were brought back to life

Bob Odenkirk and David Cross arrived on the scene with their HBO sketch comedy program, “Mr. Show.” (Charles Sykes/AP)

Axing a TV show doesn't mean very much anymore.

With the growing glutton of places that offer television programming now, the desire to have recognizable TV shows and characters has grown. Just because a show can't satisfy big network executives, it doesn't mean that series can't find an audience somewhere else — like a digital platforms such as Netflix, Hulu and others.

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A perfect example? "Mr. Show." The former HBO sketch comedy that featured Emmy-nominated "Better Call Saul" starred Bob Odenkirk and "Arrested Development" goofball, David Cross had a cult-like following back in the 1990s. Many of its early fans have gone on to major careers in comedy.

Since "Mr. Show" left the air in 1998 after a brief three-season run, its influence and the rising fame of its stars has led to clamors for a reunion, and in November, the duo will return for a miniseries on Netflix. The first full trailer was released on Monday.

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But "Mr. Show" is far from the first show to find a second life in the digital world. Here are eight other shows who have received the same revival.

Three seasons of the lives of the Bluth family were not enough for fans who demanded for moreand got their wish when Netflix revived the series in 2013. (F. Scott Schafer/FOX)

Arrested Development

"Arrested Development" is a classic case of a vastly underappreciated show that was thrown into the world too early — and left it far too soon. The Fox comedy — which follows the outrageous adventures of the Bluths, one of the world's most dysfunctional families — last three seasons, drew shockingly small audiences but became a critical favorite and and snared armloads of Emmys. By the end of its run, Fox had little patience for it and buried the final four episodes against the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Thankfully for fans of the show, massive DVD sales and word of mouth breathed new life to the series and Netflix ordered a fourth season that debuted in May 2013. A fifth season is currently in the works scheduled to premiere in 2016.

Lisa Kudrow’s first starring role after “Friends” was the HBO show “The Comeback” which looked at the realities of Hollywood for female stars. (John P. Johnson/HBO)

The Comeback

For the most part alumni from NBC's hit comedy "Friends" have a spotty track record, but in one season, Lisa Kudrow created a character that left fans and HBO wanting more.

The 2005 HBO show is a faux-documentary following Valerie Cherish, an older sitcom actress struggling to deal with fading into irrelevancy. Even though it earned three Emmy nominations, "The Comeback" was seen by some critics as too inaccessible because it dealt so bluntly with issues like some actor's thirst for fame and the soul-sucking nature of Hollywood. At the time network executives thought so too and pulled the plug.

Then, they had second thoughts in November 2014, and brought it back. A third season is in development.

“Community” went through a few changes on-screen and behind the camera, but thanks to a devoted fanbase, the show went on for six seasons. (AP Photo/NBC, Paul Drinkwater)

Community

Fans of the NBC show believed they were stuck in a dark and terrible timeline at the end of nearly every season.

"Community" started out as a show about misfits in a community college study group but it imaginatively addressed topics like string theory, consumer culture. Then it became an inside joke and meta-commentary on the existence and ability of the show itself to fight off cancellation.

"Community" lasted three seasons under its original showrunner before he was fired before the fourth season. Wisely the powers that be set things right, reuniting the original producers for season five... and then it was canceled. Its sixth season was a fan's dream come true revival when "Community" came back to life in March 2015 on Yahoo Screen, the search engine's attempt at original programming.

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The town of Quahog, R.I. was almost never heard from again after three years on Fox, but strong fan support brought “Family Guy” back. (FOX)

Family Guy

It's hard to believe the popular cartoon was once considered a failed rip-off of "The Simpsons" and left for dead.

Fox premiered the edgy-animated comedy in 1999 and cancelled it in 2003 after three seasons among multiple controvercies stemming from criticism that it was too offensive for network television.

Network brass changed their minds after "Family Guy" DVD sales went through the roof and a well-rated run of syndication airings on Adult Swim. Fox brought the Griffin family in 2005 and the show is still going 12 Emmy nominations later.

Matt Groening, creator of “The Simpsons,” developed a show to air side-by-side with his wildly successful property in “Futurama.” (FOX)

Futurama

Despite being the mastermind behind 26 years of "The Simpson" even Matt Groening couldn't keep "Futurama" alive for more than four seasons — at least at first.

The animated comedy, set in the year 3000 was devised to be part of a viewing block on Sunday night's with "The Simpsons" but the network had other plans and bounced it around the schedule until its fans had no idea when it was on and the show was canceled in 2003.

Like with "Family Guy," they had second thoughts when DVD sales and syndicated re-runs took off. At first they brought "Futurama" came back as four direct-to-DVD movies and when those went into orbit, ordered for a fifth season that aired on Comedy Central starting in 2008. The show lasted for three seasons before ending in September 2013.

After three seasons on Fox, “The Mindy Project” was picked up by Hulu for 26 new episodes. (Greg Gayne/FOX)

The Mindy Project

The show from "The Office" alum Mindy Kaling was part of Fox's lineup of female-led and created sitcoms. When it was in development network executives were taking a beating from critics to rectify years of male-dominated programming across television and had an easy sell with Kaling's sitcom pedigree.

But as it turns out Kaling faced much bigger hurdles than just being funny. As an Indian-American, the comic came under pressure to represent the perspectives of women of color on television and faced criticism for having a predominantly white cast.

The show was cancelled after three seasons for low ratings, but the show was picked up by Hulu for a 26 episode fourth season that debuted in September 2015.

“Twin Peaks” will return in 2016 or 2017 after concluding its first run in 1991. (ABC)

Twin Peaks

The mystery of who killed Laura Palmer wasn't the only death that "Twin Peaks" fans were left wondering about.

In 1991, the first season of the groundbreaking series unfolding in a mysterious Washington town was such a success with audiences and critics - earning 14 Emmy nominations that ABC suits pressured its creator David Lynch to resolve the central mystery quickly and add a host of new personalities to the show. All too soon, the fictional world became overloaded with characters, ratings collapsed as more casual fans lost interest.

The show was canceled after two seasons, but has been revived twice so far. The first time it was in the form of a companion theatrical movie, "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me" and now there's a planned limited series run on Showtime in 2016 or 2017.

Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully lefts “The X-Files” fans wanting more after nine seasons with their chemistry and perspectives on the paranormal. (FOX)

The X-Files

Fans wanted to believe that they would one day they would see their favorite paranormal-obsessed FBI agents reunited on Fox.

The original run of "The X-Files" lasted nine seasons and was one of the most popular shows of its time. The sci-fi series explored supernatural mysteries and provided meditations on spirituality and faith. But at the height of its popularity, "X-Files" lost steam when lead actor David Duchovny left the show.

Like "Twin Peaks," following its conclusion, there was a theatrical film, "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," and now, Fox is putting the finishing touches on a six-episode limited series set to debut in January 2016.